Battery chargers are widely used in industrial and commercial applications to provide for the continued use of battery powered apparatus. For example, battery powered vehicles, such as golf carts, must be periodically recharged. As can be appreciated, some users of golf carts may maintain a fleet of dozens of such vehicles. As such, the costs associated with recharging of these batteries, such as 36 volt lead-acid batteries, is substantial. Furthermore, due to the cost of such large batteries, an important consideration is that the charging operation does not damage the battery, as may occur when the battery is overcharged. Another consideration is that weak or defective batteries should be readily identified before the costs associated with an attempted recharge are incurred. Still another consideration is that a fully charged or nearly fully charged battery be identified early in the charging cycle so that the cost of an entire charging cycle be avoided. Conditions arising from the inadvertent disconnection of a battery during the charging cycle should also be readily identified.
Inasmuch as conventional battery chargers typically operate on a fixed charge time basis, such as by a timer or a manual control of the battery charger, such desirable features are not achieved. That is, a battery that is fully charged early in the charging cycle will continue to be charged, resulting in a waste of electrical energy. Weak or defective batteries are not readily identified nor are conditions which prevent a full charge from occurring, such as an inadvertent disconnection of the battery charger. Conventional chargers may also overcharge and damage a battery.